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Thursday, December 16, 2010

Gingerbread houses and snowflake trees

Yesterday was our last day of Baking Skills class for the semester. For the past month, we've been baking all sorts of Christmasy goodies! This week we focused on building and decorating our gingerbread houses. I hadn't decorated a gingerbread house by myself, well, ever! Lots of my classmates had really fancy ideas (an ice palace and a Nintendo house, perhaps?) but I decided that I wanted to do something colourful as it's in my nature. After a few tribulations with the generic "candy coated chocolate bites" not sticking properly to the roof, my Chef walked by and gave me a few helpful suggestions. I put a very light coating of royal icing on the roof, and the M&Ms were able to stick much better. For the top where the roof sections meet, I put some peppermint balls to look like Christmas lights.

We were all supposed to use an extra portion of dough to make a tree for the front section, but I wanted to do something different. A table mate had brought some snowflake cookie cutters, and voila! An idea: a snowflake tree. I think it turned out rather nicely!
 To top it all off, I used a light dusting of coconut flakes to give things a 'just snowed' look.

All in all, I'm pretty proud as to how it turned out. I was going for an old school/lots of sugary candy theme, and I think it worked!

I will truly miss my class- we all worked really well together. We had a mix of seasoned bakers and newbies (I'll admit I'd fall in the newbie category), and we all helped each other out. I know I learned a lot from my Chef, and I am truly sad that she will be in Florida next semester (I'm also jealous!). Enough cannot be said about my Chef without me getting all starry eyed. I was also unbelievably lucky in the partner area- all my partners assigned to me were really helpful and I learned a lot from them.

With the impending Christmas break, I feel a bit lost when I realise that I can paint my fingernails and wear earrings or sleep in to a normal human hour (class at 7:30 means wake up time in the 5am area). But I'm also ready for the break, and I'm especially ready to do some baking on my own! And okay, I'm pretty excited about the nail polish and earrings thing.

3 comments:

  1. That looks good enough to eat! Congrats on getting a blog together. We're looking forward to reading much more!

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  2. pretty scary if you are named hansel... or gretel. but yummy if you are not!

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  3. Just opened your blog Thalia------you were very muchley missed at the Bock Christmas. Guess your Mom told you it was just her & I -----females & 6 Bock Men. We had soooooo much food! Needless to say we pigged out. Opa & I are still eating left-overs. Loved your cookies--you are hired. I baked more than usual this Christmas & my waistline shows it!!!! Back to swimming in the pool for Rene! Well, have to read the rest of your blog, lovin it. Super idea Thalila! Ha Ha.
    Hugs Opa & Rene

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